Ampoule breaker



May 'y I REYES 2,638,022.

AMPOULE BREKER Filed Feb.- 15, 1952 A INVENTOR SEI/seo Y @E YE s,

ATTORNEYS Patented May 12, 1.953`

I `2,638,022j Y, t y .AMPOULE mmm: i Severo Reyes,Larervlo,Teac f apiiuatoiiibrqary `15,1952,serislNo.271,701

This` invention remt'estotube 'Qampuie breakers and more particularlyto `'afdevice for break" sterile vsurgical sutures are stored.

ing the sealed 'j glass tubes "or ampulesfin It is among f the objectsv of the invention: "to" provide an improved suturerftubejor `ampule breaker which willlreceivefampules oi variousv sizes Aand'peiectively` break` `the ampules at the'i score lines `provided thereon; whichA caribe` main-' tained in a sterile conditiona'ndprotectsV the'v contents of the ampule from contact withthe hands of a person breaking the ampule, as well as protecting the hands of such person from injury by broken or spintered glass of the ampule; which isfof small size and can .bereasilyvheldfin the hands for use; and whichis simple; and durable in construction, economical 'to "n'ianufacture,I

easy to use, and positive and effective in use.

l Other objects and advantages'will become'apparent from a consideration o`fthe=following'de scription and the appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an ampule breaker illustrative of the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which the device is used to break ampules.

With continued reference to the drawing, the ampule breaking device comprises tubular bodies I and II of elongated cylindrical shape and of a diameter to loosely receive a surgical suture ampule, as indicated at I2, therein.

The body I0 is open at one end and is closed at its other end by a closure plug I3 screw threaded or otherwise secured in the corresponding end of the tubular body, and is provided with diametrically opposed slots I4 and I5 extending longitudinally thereof from a location spaced from the open end to the closed end of the body.

A piston I6 is slidably mounted in the body I0 and a coiled compression spring I'I is disposed in the body between the piston I6 and the closure plug I3 and resiliently urges the piston toward the open end of the body. A pin I8 extends through the piston I6 and through the slots I4 and I projecting outwardly from the body at opposite sides of the latter and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal center line thereof. Sleeves I9 and 20 are disposed on the pin I8, one at each opposite side of the body I0, and provide arms projecting outwardly from the body for engagement by the lingers of a person using the device to move the piston I6 against the Claims. (Cl. 814-3) force of the spring lII towardthei closure plugV I3."` Engagement "of thepinf I8 with'the closed ends o'i'ftheslots I4 and'v I5 limits movement of the pistonl bythe spring toward-the open'endof the `f tubular' body;v IThe lclosed'endsfofI the slots "I4" 'and I iare spaced f'rom Athe open end ofthe bodyv It fadistance which is appr'ox'imately=` one half of tlie"leng'th' of the smallest' ampule" which'thedevic'e is designed "to break,

MThebody i-I'jis also open atonef end midis" closedfa't' its other end'by a closure plug-ZI. The" closure plugsy I3-and=`2l arejprovided ontheir outer ends with eyes 22 and 23 respectivelyyand anelongatedflexible-member; such as the chain 211,#is'attached'-at one`l` end to the eye' 221and at itsf'oth'erendf to the eye r23 'to hold the bodies" Iand 'IIN-together and prevent accidental vloss of-eitherof the bodies. 1

"The tubular bodiesY V andVr II havev ani/inside" diameter such that they will receive several dif-f ferent sizes of glass ampules and the piston or plunger I8 is manually adjustable, as explained above, to properly position the different sized ampules in the body I0 for breaking. Each ampule has a circumferential score mark, as indicated at 25, at or adjacent its mid-length location which score line provides a breaking location for the ampule, the ampule being more easily broken at this location than at any other and, when broken at the score line, providing two separate parts substantially equal in size with no rough or splintered edges.

The ampule breaking device is formed of a. suitable material, such as a corrosion resisting metal, and can be repeatedly sterilized by subjecting it to sterilizing temperatures or germicidal chemical solutions, and may be kept in a sterile condition in the operating room by wrapping it in a suitable sterile covering, such as a sterilized towel or napkin.

When the device is used, the body I0 is taken in one hand of the user and with the closure plug I3 resting against the palm of the hand, two ngers are placed one over each of the arms I9 and 20. An ampule, such as the ampule I2, is then placed in the open end of this body and the arms I9 and 20 moved toward the closure plug I3 by the fingers engaging these arms until the score line 25 on the ampule is substantially even with the end of the body Il at the open end of the latter. The body II is then placed over the portion of the ampule projecting from the body I0 and the bodies Il and II are moved angularly relative to each other, as indicated in Figure 3, until the ampule the appended claims rather than by the fore'- going description, and all changes which cometewithin the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended tovbege'm'...

braced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. An ampule breaker comprising a rstLtubuf-j.

lar body having one end open and angularly spacedl apart slots. extending thereof from'avlocation. spaced from sairdronet end *to the other end thereoffa plugclosing saidv other end, a-piston slidable in-said rst tubular body, arms projecting outwardly frornsaid pis--` ton one` through each of said slots and prcwidingl finger engageable means for moving saidfpiston, towardI said other end of-the body to positionv an ampule at a position of adjustment project. ing 'from' said onev end of said body, avcompresmovement of said bodies relativeto veach other.-

2. An ampule breaker comprising-a first tubur,i

lari body;` manually adjustable means;r slidably longitudinally 1 ail'.

tioning an ampule in the latter with a portion of the ampule projecting from one end of the body, and a second tubular body adapted to receive at one end the portion of an ampule projecting from said rst body, said bodies being both of a sucient length to be comfortably grasped one in each hand of a person using the breaker and being effective to break the ampule upon angular movement of the bodies relative to; each'iother when opposite end portions of the ampulel are respectively disposed in-adjacent end portions of said tubular bodies.

3. An ampule breaker comprising a rst tubullarbody,` manually adjustable means slidably mounted in said first body for adjustably positioning-'an ampule in the latter with a portion of the ampule projecting from one end of the body, a second tubular body of substantially the same diameter as said first body adapted to receive at one end the portion of an ampule projectingy from. said .rst,body,lsaid bodies vbeing both ,of a'sufcient llength toy be comfortably, grasped one in eachhand of apersonusing the'j breaker and beingefective to ,break the ampule upon .angular movement oi thez bodiesv4 relative flexible element connected at. its respectively ,opg posite ends ,to said. bodies to Ahold said, bodies together,4

SEVERO REYES! References cited in the m of this patent; UNITED sfrA'rifjsPATENTSy Name Date.

Number Basim f Tf-- Juney 7 .19.10

Hoimanruuuu-- Amf- 28,.;1925: 

